Review: La Pulga Tequila – Blanco and Reposado
Tequila continues to take the country by storm but perhaps nowhere more so than in Texas. Three Ft. Worth-based entrepreneurs are getting in on the action with another addition to the growing La Pulga, a tequila distilled and bottled in Jalisco, Mexico but proudly born in “Cowtown.” Or so goes the press release. The name comes from the La Pulga market, one of the oldest open air flea markets in the country and a fixture of Ft. Worth. Notably, the company’s Head of Spirits is Ale Ochoa, a whiskey scientist and Master Blender formerly with Fort Worth-based Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. Today, we’re looking at two of the brand’s three classic expressions, each of which is distilled from 100% Blue Weber agave and certified additive-free.
Both are 80 proof. NOM 1068.
La Pulga Tequila Blanco – This unaged silver tequila is impressively earthy and green on the nose with big notes of olive brine, clay, and cut grass. As it opens, agave pulp, lime peel, and plantain add some sweetness, but a healthy dash of black pepper keeps things on the savory side. The palate is a touch sweeter than the aroma but still quite rustic and piquant with a rich minerality – sea salt and flint – and notes of fresh agave, dried lime, and cilantro. The finish is peppery and dry with lingering notes of green olive and citrus. B+ / $45
La Pulga Tequila Reposado – Seven months of aging in ex-bourbon barrels has really subdued the blanco’s aroma, silencing for the most part all of those green and briny notes with a soft, subtle blanket of vanilla icing and cinnamon sugar. As it opens, the agave, classically vegetal and sweet, emerges. The palate is more viscous than the blanco with comparatively lush notes of cinnamon syrup, honey candies, and cooked agave. While sweeter than the blanco, it’s still well-balanced. The midpalate, nicely spiced with clove, cracked pepper, and grated cinnamon, transitions seamlessly to a warming, balanced finish of Red Hots, wintergreen, and vanilla taffy. While the blanco is a bit more interesting, the reposado should be a crowd pleaser. A- / $55
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